Streamabout Album of The Year. Lemonade (Beyonce).

Thank you for reading in 2016 and as it goes, we always end with the record that outshone all comers. So we'll see you in 2017 but until then, here goes....

Well okay, but we got it right last year with Kendrick's 'Butterfly' and we'll get it right this year with 'Lemonade'. Album of 2016. Just watch the critics go for it. 

But don't criticise it or us, until you've heard it. Really. We said it in May that it could easily be Album of the Year and it is. No doubt. And in lots of ways it's not the 'pop' Beyonce you might know. 

It's a terrific record from Beyonce (Solange Knowles) but all of that said, you should listen to it and always, keep the ears open no matter what the genre or the artist. You miss so much if you do. 

The visuals that go with this record are sensational too and 9 Grammy Award nominations says a lot. We're in Video Production and honestly, it's stunningly good visually.

But the audio Production is also incredible never mind the heart felt songwriting which always brings something more. Great sampling too and layered sounds. 

Here's what we said in May this year:

No and neither did we, ever in our wildest think we'd be blogging a Beyonce Album. What? Beyonce? But then it was just released and went on at Streamabout Offices and we were all stunned. Right from the start.

There's an old lesson here that you should keep your ears open. People say, 'I don't like Jazz' and so they never hear the beauty of Coltrane or Miles. 'I don't like Reggae' and you'll never hear Marley. So always good to listen.

Added to that, stars like Beyonce work with only the best Producers and Musicians because they can and boy, does this record sound it. The Production is as good as we've heard, ever.

Given too, that this Album is supposedly about her failing relationship (Jay Z), sometimes that sort of thing brings out great songwriting because it's so heartfelt and meaningful when sung. Think Amy's 'Back to Black'. Good Albums come out of hard times. 

It's her sixth studio Album and a bit R&B, Country and even Gospel. It comes with a movie release on HBO and features Kendrick Lamarr (isn't everyone) but lends itself to sampling. Led Zep's Robert Plant "When the levee breaks" gets a look in as does Andy Williams "Can't get used to losing you", "Walk on By" Burt Bacharach, Hal David, Jack White, King Crimson, it's really diverse and imaginative.

It debuted in the US at number one and in the UK. Now you might expect a Beyonce Album to do that anyway but this is really worth the listen. It takes getting used to but it's pretty special. 

Definitely an Album of the year if not more.

There, we said it.
And never thought we would. Ever. 
Phew.

All the single ladies....

Previous "listen to's" you'll also find on this blog (you can search them in the Search top left on the Blog)......Oddisee 'The mix Tape': Soul 11 Soul 'Club Classics': Jennifer Warnes 'Famous Blue Raincoat':Art Garfunkel 'Watermark': REM 'Out of Time': Van 'Keep me Singing': Frank Sinatra 'Songs for Swinging Lovers': Al Stewart 'Year of the Cat': Stevie Ray Vaughan 'Texas Flood':Frank Ocean 'Blond': Jimmy Buffett 'Son of a Sailor': Marc Cohn 'Marc Cohn': Bill Withers 'Complete Sussex and Columbia': Hendrix 'Electric Ladyland': ABC 'Lexicon of Love': Rickie Lee Jones 'Rickie Lee Jones': Billy Joel "Glass Houses": Rodriguez "Cold Fact": Prefab Sprout 'Steve McQueen'; Chet Baker 'Live 64-79'; The Stone Roses 'Stone Roses'; Joe Jackson 'I'm the Man'; Oasis 'Morning Glory'; Bob Dylan 'At The Budokan'; Van "It's too late to stop now Volume 2/3/4"; Air 'Moon Safari'; Talking Heads 'Stop Making Sense'; Lynyrd Skynyrd 'One for the road'; Marvin Gaye 'Whats Goin on'; Mercury Rev 'Deserters Songs'; Dave Matthews 'Crash'; Beyonce 'Lemonade'; Prince 'Sign O the times'; Daft Punk 'Random Access Memories'; Amy Winehouse 'Back to Black';Police 'Outlandos D'Amour'; Michael Jackson 'Off the Wall'; Carole King 'Tapestry'; Beatles 'Red Album'; Sex Pistols 'Never mind the Bollocks'; Sam Cooke 'Live at Harlem Square'; The Doors 'LA Woman'; Thin Lizzy 'Live & Dangerous'; Kendrick Lamarr 'Butterfly'; Aretha Franklin 'Amazing Grace'; Clapton '461'; Massive Attack 'Blue Lines'; The Clash 'London Calling'; Chris Isaak 'At The Filmore'; Bob Dylan 'Street Legal'; Bad Company 'Straight Shooter'; Jackson Browne 'Love is Strange'; Lou Reed 'Transformer'; Steely Dan 'AJA'; Stones 'Black+Blue'; Stephen Bishop 'Careless'; Nils Lofgren 'Night after Night'; Mike Oldfield 'Tubular Bells'; Neil Young 'Harvest'; Led Zep '4'; David Bowie 'David Live'; Van Morrison 'It's too late to stop now'; Wings 'Band on the Run'; Rod Stewart 'Atlantic Crossing'; Ryan Adams 'Heartbreaker'; Santana 'Essential'; Bob Dylan 'Desire'; Roxy Music 'For your pleasure'; Bob Marley 'Legend'; Stephen Fretwell 'Magpie'; James Taylor 'Sweet Baby James'; Deep Purple 'Machine Head'; Springsteen 'Darkness on the edge of town'; Leon Bridges 'Coming Home'; Eagles 'Hotel California'; Jungle; Aretha 'Soul Queen'; Neil Young 'After the Goldrush' ; Zappa 'Overnite Sensation'; Fleetwood Mac 'Rumours'; Keith Jarrett 'Koln Concert'; Doobies 'Southbound'; Stevie Earle 'I feel Alright'; Tom Waits 'Closing Time'; Pink Floyd 'Dark Side'; Van Morrison 'Moondance'; Eric Church 'Caught in the Act'; Randy Newman 'Little Criminals'; Elton John 'Madman across the water'; Patti Smith 'Horses'; Doobies 'Captain and Me'; Steely Dan 'Can't Buy a Thrill'. 

What we're listening to. Beyonce 'Lemonade' (but keep it quiet).

No and neither did we, ever in our wildest think we'd be blogging a Beyonce Album. What? Beyonce? But then it was just released and went on at Streamabout Offices and we were all stunned. Right from the start.

There's an old lesson here that you should keep your ears open. People say, 'I don't like Jazz' and so they never hear the beauty of Coltrane or Miles. 'I don't like Reggae' and you'll never hear Marley. So always good to listen.

Added to that, stars like Beyonce work with only the best Producers and Musicians because they can and boy, does this record sound it. The Production is as good as we've heard, ever.

Given too, that this Album is supposedly about her failing relationship (Jay Z), sometimes that sort of thing brings out great songwriting because it's so heartfelt and meaningful when sung. Think Amy's 'Back to Black'. Good Albums come out of hard times. 

It's her sixth studio Album and a bit R&B, Country and even Gospel. It comes with a movie release on HBO and features Kendrick Lamarr (isn't everyone) but lends itself to sampling. Led Zep's Robert Plant "When the levee breaks" gets a look in as does Andy Williams "Can't get used to losing you", "Walk on By" Burt Bacharach, Hal David, Jack White, King Crimson, it's really diverse and imaginative.

It debuted in the US at number one and in the UK. Now you might expect a Beyonce Album to do that anyway but this is really worth the listen. It takes getting used to but it's pretty special. 

Definitely an Album of the year if not more.

There, we said it.
And never thought we would. Ever. 
Phew.

All the single ladies....

Previous "listen to's" you'll also find on this blog.......Prince 'Sign O the times'; Daft Punk 'Random Access Memories'; Amy Winehouse 'Back to Black';Police 'Outlandos D'Amour'; Michael Jackson Off the Wall; Carole King Tapestry; Beatles Red Album; Sex Pistols Never mind the Bollocks; Sam Cooke Live at Harlem Square; The Doors LA Woman; Thin Lizzy Live & Dangerous; Kendrick Lamarr Butterfly; Aretha Franklin Amazing Grace; Clapton 461; Massive Attack Blue Lines; The Clash London Calling; Chris Isaak At The Filmore; Bob Dylan Street Legal; Bad Company Straight Shooter; Jackson Browne Love is Strange; Lou Reed Transformer; Steely Dan AJA; Stones Black+Blue; Stephen Bishop Careless; Nils Lofgren Night after Night; Mike Oldfield Tubular Bells; Neil Young Harvest; Led Zep 4; David Bowie David Live; Van Morrison It's too late to stop now; Wings Band on the run; Rod Stewart Atlantic Crossing; Ryan Adams Heartbreaker; Santana Essential; Bob Dylan Desire; Roxy Music For your pleasure; Bob Marley Legend; Stephen Fretwell Magpie; James Taylor Sweet Baby James; Deep Purple Machine Head; Springsteen Darkness on the edge of town; Leon Bridges Coming Home; Eagles Hotel California; Jungle; Aretha Soul Queen; Neil Young After the Goldrush + Harvest; Zappa Overnite Sensation; Fleetwood Mac Rumours; Keith Jarrett Koln Concert; Doobies Southbound; Stevie Earle I feel Alright; Tom Waits Closing Time; Pink Floyd Dark Side; Van Morrison Moondance; Eric Church Caught in the Act; Randy Newman Little Criminals; Elton John Madman across the water; Patti Smith Horses; Doobies Captain and Me; Steely Dan Can't Buy a Thrill.

US Digital Album Sales down 6% for the first time since ITunes. Why?

For the first time since Apple opened its Itunes music store in 2003, US digital music sales have fallen last year. Interesting data from the reputable Financial Times.

Why?

They've dropped by about -6%, and downloads account for about 70% of that market (which shows you how much record shops have suffered) to well over a billion units. Of which Apple now controls about 70%.

The reason why is streaming - music rental.

Itunes Radio is one reason where people hear songs in a radio playlist supported by advertising. So if they switch to Itunes Radio, they are less likely to buy from ITunes.

Might be a case of shooting yourself in the foot? We will see.

Spotify also people to choose the songs they want to hear for a monthly fee. Deezer similarly.

Monthly fees might stabilise the market but it will defeat downloads. I don't necessarily need to buy the song, just listen to it. 

But artists and music company revenue is worse in monthly streaming.... generating licence fees of circa 7,000 usd which is equivalent to about 12,000 bought downloads. Only. Beyonce's latest album had about 830,000 downloads in three days.

And of course, there's the monthly free streaming options out there which don't generate hard core revenue but rather a share in advertising. Worse again if you're a record label.

It's a sea change in the manner in which music is distributed and hence the impact on downloads. Will people want to just rent an album rather than buy it? If they do, there's a long hard road ahead.

However, it's hard to feel sorry for record labels. They spent years fighting it instead of embracing it and now find themselves dictated to by the market.

For once.